HORIZON COUNCIL TO DISCUSS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
The Horizon Council and the Lee County Economic Development Office will host the Horizon Council General Membership Meeting on April 26 at Florida SouthWestern State College, Building U, Room 102, in Fort Myers. Registration and networking start at 8 a.m. and the meeting begins at 8:30 a.m.
Guest speaker Mike McDonald, senior learning consultant and learning business partner with the Gallup organization, will focus on employee engagement and retention. McDonald will share current research on employee engagement and a few things managers and organizations can do to increase employee engagement, satisfaction and retention. To register, visit leecoedo.eventbrite.com.
IMCA – NAPLES HOSTS KINGMAN, EXPANDS PROGRAMS
The International Men’s Club of America (IMCA) – Naples will welcome guest speaker Collier County Fire Chief Kingman D. Schuldt to its meeting held from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 8 at Vineyards Country Club in Naples.
Schuldt is fire chief and CEO of the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District in Collier County. Schuldt’s presentation will provide attendees a detailed look into the management and operations of the Fire District and the wide variety of services provided by the community.
The IMCA – Naples has also enhanced programs to include a travel club and summer dine-out, and expanded core programs into the summer month. The IMCA core programs are varied, and most are open to members’ spouses and other guests. To become a member of the IMCA or to register for events, contact imcacentral@gmail.com.
NAPLESNEXT IDEAS FESTIVAL BUILDS ON SUCCESS
NaplesNEXT Ideas Festival organizers have announced a $10,000 donation to Immokalee’s Guadalupe Center, as well as the dates and location for the second annual NaplesNEXT in 2020. A portion of proceeds raised from patron ticket sales to the inaugural NaplesNEXT Ideas Festival, held March 17-19, were earmarked for Guadalupe Center through NaplesNEXT’s fund established at the Community Foundation of Collier County.
The 2020 NaplesNEXT Ideas Festival will be held March 2-3 at the Naples Grande Beach Resort.
The first annual NaplesNEXT featured a blend of global and local voices addressing hot-button issues including policy, the environment, health and medicine, society, sports, philanthropy and more. The roundtables, panels and Q&A sessions with more than 50 speakers were capped by an hour-long conversation with former First Lady Laura Bush.
The 2020 event will have a similar array of diverse speakers on national topics, a press release states. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales to the 2020 NaplesNEXT will benefit local nonprofits. For updates on 2020 event details, visit NaplesNext.com.
FIRST FLORIDA INTEGRITY BANK PROMOTES SCIRE
First Florida Integrity Bank has promoted Monica Scire to community reinvestment act (CRA) officer. Scire has six years of experience in the banking industry. She joined First Florida Integrity Bank as accounting financial analyst in March 2013.
Prior to her promotion to CRA officer, Scire had been promoted to financial analyst II in 2014 and risk analyst in 2016. For the past two years, she has given more than 130 hours annually to United Way’s VITA (Voluntary Income Tax Assistance) program, as well as assisted with Agency Allocations.
Scire is on the Junior Achievement finance committee and volunteers her time with the organization. She also has joined the Salvation Army advisory board and provides classes to senior citizens through the Salvation Army. Scire attended the University of Tampa, where she received a Bachelor of Science in biology, pre-med and business and received her Master of Business Administration there in December 2003.
FREEMAN JOINS BOARD OF HUNGER & HOMELESS COALITION OF COLLIER COUNTY
Yale T. Freeman has joined the board of the Hunger & Homeless Coalition of Collier County. During his 25 years practicing law in Naples, Freeman has been president of the Harry Chapin Food Bank, executive director of the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Collier County, co-founder of the Alliance for Community Response, board member of the United Way of Collier County and vice president of Collier Harvest. He recently received the Ann Jacobson Humanitarian Award in recognition of his community service.
The mission of the Hunger & Homeless Coalition is to support the planning, delivery and coordination of high-quality services to the hungry, the homeless and those at risk of homelessness in the community.
PBS CONTRACTORS HIRES NEW DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
PBS Contractors has hired Jason King as director of business development. King will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to secure new clients and maintain existing client relationships. King is a graduate of the University of Delaware with 16 years of experience in the construction industry.
He previously worked as a project manager for one of Naples’ custom home builders, where he was responsible for the planning and management of multiple projects.
WOOLLEY INDUCTED INTO SIGMA BETA DELTA HONOR SOCIETY
C2 Communications President Cyndee Woolley has been inducted as a member of the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society at Hodges University. Woolley was invited to join the honor society in recognition of her high academic achievement and willingness to pursue a life of wisdom, honor, and aspirations, according to a press release.
Woolley earned a master’s degree in business administration at Hodges University to hone her leadership skills as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society is for students pursuing a baccalaureate or graduate degree in business, management, and administration at institutions which are regionally accreditation. Hodges University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on College (SACSCOC).
CHARITABLE NOTES
River District Food and Brew Festival to benefit Uncommon Friends
The first-ever Fort Myers River District Food and Brew Festival will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on May 25 at the historic Burroughs Home & Gardens. This is the only area festival set on the waterfront, a press release states. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com for $30.
Guests must be at least 21 years of age. All of the event’s proceeds will benefit Uncommon Friends Foundation. Guests will enjoy live music of Steve Farst’s acoustic guitar and other performers, with unlimited cold beer samples and food from eight or more independent Southwest Florida craft breweries and restaurants.
Seating and tables will be available. Free parking is across the street at the Langford-Kingston home. For more information, visit www.rdfoodandbrew.com.
Big Backpack Event returns for 20th year of giving
The Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida will host its 20th annual Big Backpack Event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 28. Families with students between ages 5-12 can come to the event’s new location at the Fort Myers Skatium at 2250 Broadway to receive backpacks full of school supplies. The organization’s goal is to collect enough supplies through its Adopt-A-Student program to hand out more than 2,000 backpacks.
A $10 Adopt-A-Student donation provides a child with a new backpack and school supplies that include notebook paper, folders, crayons, glue, pens and pencils. Information on how to give is available at multicultural-centre.org or by emailing info@multicultural-centre.org.
Demand usually exceeds supply, so parents and guardians are urged to get to the Skatium early. The line usually begins to form as early as 7 a.m. but moves quickly once the doors open. Children must be present with parents or guardians to receive the free supplies.
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